Copilot+ PCs: What They Are, Features, and Models

Copilot+ PCs represent Microsoft's vision for new and more advanced hardware models that can host the company’s “copilot”.

Supported by next-generation Neural Processing Units, these latest-generation laptops promise users not only the best performance for their everyday applications but also the ability to run machine learning tasks based on artificial intelligence directly on the device, instead of sending requests over the Internet for processing on Microsoft’s servers.

In this article, we will take a closer look at what defines a Copilot+ PC, which models are currently available, and what updates have occurred since their initial introduction in May 2024.

Copilot+ PCs: a brief introduction

In May 2024, Microsoft announced the global launch for June of the same year of a new category of Windows PCs designed for artificial intelligence: the Copilot+ PCs.

According to Microsoft, Copilot+ PCs are the fastest and smartest Windows computers ever built. Equipped with powerful new hardware capable of reaching over 40 TOPS (trillion operations per second), they offer all-day battery life and access to the most advanced AI models. Over time, Copilot+ PCs will make it possible to do things that are impossible on any other PC.

Microsoft has completely reimagined the entire PC ecosystem, from the processor to the operating system, from the application layer to the cloud, placing artificial intelligence at the center. This marks what the company from Redmond calls “the most significant change in the Windows platform in decades.”

This first wave of Copilot+ PCs is just the beginning for the American tech giant. Over the past year, we have witnessed an incredible pace of innovation in cloud-based artificial intelligence, with Copilot enabling what was once unthinkable. Now a new chapter begins with AI innovation directly on the device.

But what defines these devices, and how are they different from the PCs we already use to access Copilot features?

Let’s find out in the next sections.

A quick clarification on Microsoft Copilot and Copilot+

We all know Microsoft and its “naming problem.” Between confusing renamings and products with extremely similar names, Copilot has also suffered the same fate when the company from Redmond decided to announce a new line of PCs designed to support its digital assistant.

So, let’s take a moment to clear up the confusion that has arisen around the topic and try to clarify, for those who may have missed a step, who is what.

Microsoft Copilot is the AI-powered digital assistant designed to simplify users’ daily tasks, boost productivity, and enhance creativity. Its main focus is code generation, writing assistance, and collaboration. Seamlessly integrated with the most widely used Microsoft 365 applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, Copilot offers contextual suggestions and helps users understand information more effectively.

Powered by the cutting-edge GPT-4 language model, Microsoft Copilot offers impressive capabilities such as code autocompletion, documentation search, and collaborative writing. Microsoft is also continuing to update its Copilot over time with new features, highlighting how heavily the Redmond company is investing in its Gen AI solution for the future of its business-focused products.

The digital AI assistant’s features are aimed at a wide range of users and professionals, including developers, content creators, and knowledge workers who seek AI-powered help with their tasks.

The main ways to benefit from Microsoft Copilot are:

• ‍Adopting Copilot: Microsoft offers several Copilot assistants to increase productivity and creativity. Integrated across various Microsoft products and platforms, Copilot transforms the digital workspace into a more interactive and efficient environment.
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• ‍Extending Copilot: Developers have the ability to incorporate external data, simplifying user operations and reducing the need to switch context. This not only boosts productivity but also encourages greater collaboration. Through Copilot, it is easy to bring this data into the common Microsoft products used every day.
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• ‍Building your own Copilot: In addition to adoption and extension, it is possible to build a custom Copilot for a unique conversational experience, using Azure OpenAI, Cognitive Search, Microsoft Copilot Studio, and other Microsoft Cloud technologies. A custom Copilot can integrate enterprise data, access external data in real time via APIs, and integrate with business applications.

Microsoft Copilot is available in several forms, with pricing packages tailored to different use cases, such as:

• Copilot (Free): The free version of Copilot offers access to generative AI features for PC management (in Windows), online search (in Edge), and general web chatbot conversations.
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• Copilot Pro: Designed for individual users who want to make the most of generative AI. For around 20 dollars per month per user, it provides access to Copilot across tools like Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.
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• Copilot for Microsoft 365: Intended for individuals and teams working with Microsoft apps. It provides access to Copilot Studio, enterprise-grade security, privacy, and compliance, and advanced capabilities.

In addition, there are various Copilot versions designed for specific Microsoft tools. For instance, there are Copilot solutions integrated into Microsoft Dynamics for sales and customer service teams, and security Copilot solutions built into Microsoft Purview.

Recently, Microsoft has also started launching and updating a series of specific “Agents” for particular business sectors such as finance, customer service, and marketing, with tailored training and functionality for these fields.

Copilot+ specifically refers to a new category of PC hardware designed for AI-based tasks.

When the Copilot+ PCs were announced, many users mistakenly thought Microsoft was launching a new version of its digital assistant or that this “new Copilot” would be available only on the new PC line. But as you may have realized by now, that is absolutely not the case.

With that said, let’s move on and focus on the real stars of this article: the ones with the plus sign in front.

Copilot+ PCs: hardware specifications and models

Let’s start by discussing the hardware specifications of a Copilot+ PC.

Microsoft has established strict criteria to determine which computers can earn the Copilot+ PC title. Among these requirements is the obligation for the machine to feature an AI processor (also known as a neural processing unit, or NPU) capable of 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS), with 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD storage.

At present, Copilot+ PCs are exclusively laptops, although there does not appear to be any reason why a desktop could not eventually fall into this category.

Microsoft frequently emphasizes that all Copilot+ PCs offer “all-day battery life.” While this is not specified in the official system requirements, it has been confirmed by numerous consumer reviews and tech press outlets, which describe battery life as “excellent” across all Copilot+ PCs, thanks to the lower power consumption of ARM-based CPUs.

The company from Redmond also highlights that every Copilot+ PC is secure right out of the box. The Microsoft Pluton security processor will be enabled by default on all Copilot+ PCs, and Microsoft has introduced a range of new features, updates, and default settings in Windows 11 to make it easy for users to stay safe. In addition, personalized privacy controls have been integrated to help users protect what matters most to them.

At the core of the requirements is the 40 TOPS specification. At launch, the only processors capable of meeting this standard were not produced by Intel or AMD, the traditional computing power providers for Windows, but by Qualcomm, with the specially designed Snapdragon X Elite chipset. For those unfamiliar, Qualcomm is the company that produces the vast majority of smartphone processors used in today’s most advanced models.

The Snapdragon is an ARM chip, which means it uses a different architecture compared to the x86 architecture that has dominated personal computing since the late 1970s.

In simple terms, ARM chips are designed to be lean and efficient, avoiding the complex processing techniques that have become increasingly essential for improving the performance of x86 architecture over the decades. Your Windows computer likely uses an x86 processor, while your phone runs on an ARM chip.

No x86 chip had met Microsoft’s 40 TOPS specification — until now. While older NPUs from AMD and Intel maxed out below 20 TOPS, the new chips from these manufacturers have now surpassed the 40 TOPS threshold. Laptops featuring AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series and Intel Core Ultra 200V Series CPUs are now officially qualified as Copilot+ PCs, and starting from November 2024, compatible Intel and AMD laptops will receive Copilot+ enhancements through the Windows update system.

In the summary table below, we list the main hardware manufacturers and the corresponding Copilot+ PC models that were released as the first wave under the Copilot+ PC label.

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Copilot+ PCs: features and AI capabilities

All this talk about TOPS means little to the average person.

The real question is: what can you actually do with all those TOPS?

The answer is: quite a lot.

Copilot+ is not just a set of technical specifications for PCs; it is also a collection of artificial intelligence features, only loosely connected to Copilot in the strict sense. These features, listed below, leverage Microsoft’s new lightweight language models, which are better suited to the relatively limited computing power of a personal computer compared to that of a data center.

The features announced at launch include:

• Recall, to resume what you were doing on your PC at a specific point in time.
• Cocreator, for collaborative image creation directly on the device.
• Windows Studio Effects, for visual enhancements during video calls.
• Live Captions, for real-time subtitles and translation of audio in videos and calls.

It is worth noting that not only Microsoft software can take advantage of the NPU (Neural Processing Unit) hardware found in Copilot+ PCs. Apps like Photoshop, DaVinci Resolve, Algoriddim Djay Pro, and Liquid Text also use the unique capabilities of these chips.

Let’s now take a closer look at each of these new features and improvements.

Recall

The most publicized feature of Copilot+ also turned out to be the most controversial: Recall.

This feature periodically takes screenshots while you use your PC and allows you to review what you were doing at a given time through a search interface. The function does not record private browsing sessions, and all data stays on the local device.

Tech experts and news outlets criticized Recall, claiming it could be easily compromised. This pushed the company to make Recall an opt-in feature, meaning it must be activated manually, instead of being enabled by default. In fact, even before the first Copilot+ PCs hit the market, the feature was limited to an Insider Preview build.

Following the May announcement, Microsoft listened to community feedback and emphasized the importance of introducing additional built-in security layers. They took the time to make Recall even more secure by default, ensuring that customers feel confident about the protection of their data from the very first use.

Now users will have the option to choose whether to save screenshots. If they decide to activate the feature, they will use Windows Hello to confirm their presence and securely unlock the Recall experience. In addition, thanks to the sensitive content filter, Recall will apply masking to private information such as credit card details or personal identification numbers to ensure that highly confidential data remains protected.

Improvements for video calls with Windows Studio Effects

Windows Studio Effects are enhancements for video calls that work not only with Microsoft Teams but also with major video conferencing apps like Zoom, Google Meet, and others. These effects are accessible through a button in the Quick Settings panel (formerly known as the Action Center).

Available options include: Portrait Lighting, Portrait Blur, Standard Blur, three Creative Filters, Eye Contact, and Automatic Framing.

Live captions and real-time translation

Live Captions are a valuable resource for people with hearing impairments, non-native speakers, and those in noisy environments. The version of Live Captions available in Copilot+ not only provides on-screen subtitles for any spoken audio on the PC but can also translate it, with planned support for 40 different languages (though this feature will arrive in the future).

Currently, Live Captions displays a tip message explaining that spoken audio cannot yet be translated into most languages, but it is possible to translate subtitles into English from 44 languages. A language pack must be downloaded for each language you want to use.

You can customize the size and position of the text and enable an optional filter to block vulgar content.

Local AI image generation with Cocreator

The classic but fully modernized Microsoft Paint app now includes AI image generation on all Windows 11 PCs. However, on Copilot+ PCs, you get Cocreator. With Cocreator, you can sketch a simple drawing, tell the AI how to complete the image, and voilà, you have a new collaborative creation (with a machine as your partner).

To use Cocreator, you need a text prompt, a sketch, and a selected style, such as Watercolor, Oil Painting, Ink Sketch, Anime, or Pixel Art.

With the addition of generative fill and generative erase features, you can edit and personalize your images with more precision and creative freedom. Using an adjustable brush, you can remove unwanted or distracting elements from your image or add new ones exactly where you want them.

Microsoft has also improved the underlying diffusion model to deliver better and faster results. Thanks to built-in moderation, Cocreator ensures a safe and reliable creative experience.

Click to Do (Wave 2)

Click to Do is designed to simplify your workflow by magically placing an interactive overlay on the PC screen, allowing suggested quick actions to appear over images or text. On request, Click to Do connects smoothly with tools and actions to complete tasks, such as suggesting the use of Visual Search with Bing, blurring the background or removing objects in Photos, removing backgrounds with Paint, and more.

It also supports text-based actions, like rewriting, summarizing, or explaining text inline, opening it in a text editor, sending an email (if an email address is recognized), conducting a web search, or opening websites (if a URL is recognized).

Click to Do is context-sensitive and accessible from any screen on a Copilot+ PC. Just press the Windows key and click the mouse to find it in Snipping Tool or Print Screen to get started. With a clear goal of boosting productivity, Copilot users can expect more advanced actions to be added in the coming months.

Improved Windows Search

Finding the right files, including documents, settings, or photos, on Copilot+ PCs has become easier. Now, by using your own words, like “BBQ party,” you can describe what you are looking for and find it on Windows.

There is no longer a need to remember file names, settings locations, or worry about correct spelling — just type what you have in mind to locate it on a Copilot+ PC. You can even find photos on OneDrive by describing the content in the same way.

And thanks to the power of the integrated NPU delivering more than 40 TOPS, the search works even when you are not connected to the Internet. The improved search will initially be available in File Explorer and will expand to Windows Search and Settings in the coming months.

ARM-Enabled Applications for Copilot+ PCs

Application compatibility on ARM is better today than it was five years ago, partly due to Microsoft’s Prism emulator, which helps bridge the gap between x86 code and ARM CPUs (though not entirely). Some challenges remain. Certain apps do not work at all, some are still in development, while others require emulation, and emulation inevitably results in a significant drop in performance.

However, Microsoft is working with today’s top developers to bring all major applications to Copilot+ PCs powered by ARM.

Many of the most popular applications are already available for Windows on ARM. You can already use brands like Chrome, Zoom, Brave, Opera, Slack, Spotify, Adobe (InDesign, Illustrator, and Premiere), DaVinci Resolve, Algoriddim djayPro, LibreOffice, 1Password, and Todoist, with new native apps on the way, including Vegas Pro, Fantastical, Sketchbook Pro, Arc Browser, Google Drive, and more.

Microsoft is also seeing strong momentum in the VPN and printer sectors. Popular apps like ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, Surfshark, and Windscribe are already supported, with NordVPN coming soon. In addition, more than 90 percent of printers purchased in the past seven years work without issues, so Copilot+ customers have access to the apps and performance they expect from their Windows PC.

Conclusion

Copilot+ PCs are still a young technology that is gradually gaining traction in the complex hardware market, but they already show how AI is becoming an increasingly central issue not only for software developers but also for the companies that manufacture the machines we use every day.

At the moment, especially in the home market, they may be seen as somewhat excessive pieces of technology, particularly when it comes to compatibility and performance with entertainment tools like video games.

However, in the business sector, Copilot+ PCs could prove to be a valuable solution for anyone who wants not only laptops with exceptional battery life and sleek design, but also the ability to carry their AI assistant anywhere regardless of Internet connectivity and make full use of its potential even for minor tasks, thanks to Microsoft’s SLMs.

FAQ about Copilot+ PCs

What are Copilot+ PCs?

‍Copilot+ PCs are a new generation of laptops designed by Microsoft for artificial intelligence. These devices can run AI models locally on the device, without needing to send data to the cloud, thanks to specialized chips called NPUs that reach at least 40 trillion operations per second.

What are the minimum technical requirements for a Copilot+ PC?

‍A device qualifies as a Copilot+ PC if it includes a 40 TOPS NPU, at least 16 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of SSD storage. It must also support the new AI-optimized Windows 11 ecosystem. While not officially required, most models feature impressive battery life, as confirmed by many reviews.

What’s the difference between Microsoft Copilot and Copilot+ PCs?

‍Microsoft Copilot is the AI-powered assistant integrated into Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. Copilot+ PC refers to a hardware category, not a different version of the assistant. The confusion stems from the naming, but the "+" refers to the PC itself, not to a software upgrade.

Can I use Copilot without a Copilot+ PC?

‍Yes, both basic and advanced features of Microsoft Copilot are available on other Windows devices. However, Copilot+ PCs provide exclusive capabilities by running AI models directly on the device via the NPU, resulting in better speed and privacy.

What AI features are only available on Copilot+ PCs?

‍Copilot+ PCs support Recall, Cocreator in Paint, Windows Studio Effects, Live Captions with translation, Click to Do, and an enhanced search experience. These features use the NPU to deliver advanced AI tools directly on the device.

Can third-party apps use the NPU on Copilot+ PCs?

‍Yes. Apps like Photoshop, DaVinci Resolve, djay Pro, and Liquid Text already leverage the NPU for advanced tasks, offering enhanced performance compared to traditional versions.

Are all apps compatible with Copilot+ PCs?

‍Not entirely. While compatibility on ARM has improved thanks to Microsoft’s Prism emulator, some apps are still being optimized. Microsoft is working with developers to expand support, but some performance limitations or incompatibilities remain.

Are Copilot+ PCs suitable for gaming?

‍Currently, no. These devices are built for productivity, AI, and creative tasks. While powerful, they aren’t specifically designed for gaming or consumer entertainment use.

Are Copilot+ PCs secure?

‍Yes. All Copilot+ PCs include Microsoft Pluton security hardware enabled by default and run Windows 11 with updated settings for data protection and privacy. Features like Recall are opt-in and require Windows Hello for activation.

Which Copilot+ PC models are already available?

‍Major hardware brands have released compatible models, including Acer Swift 14 AI, Asus Vivobook S 15, Dell XPS 13 and Latitude, HP OmniBook X AI and EliteBook Ultra, Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x and ThinkPad T14s, and Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge. These devices feature slim designs, long battery life, and powerful AI capabilities.